Cotton chopping and cultivating machine



March 30, 1954 F. P. STALLCUP COTTON CHOPPING AND CULTIVATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. I FMQMAA/ 1? 67441602 I BY xm/z mm *umwz ArraeA/Eys.

March 30, 1 F. P. STALLCUP 2,673,503

COTTON CHOPPING AND CULTIVATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. f FZ/EMAA/ P. 6744A @019 1 BY March 30, 1 F. P. STALLCUP COTTON CHOPPING AND CULTIVATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Mar. 30, 1954 COTTON CHOPPING AND CULTIVATING MACHINE Furman P. Stallcup, Jonesboro, Ark., assignor of one-half to Mode Gregory, Jonesboro, Ark.

Application August 25, 1950, Serial N 0. 181,450

2 Claims. I

This invention relates to agricultural machinery especially designed for cultivating and chopping r thinning cotton, and more particularly to a machine which may be used either by itself or in combination with known cultivators to cultivate and thin row crop plants, such as cotton, in one operation.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved cultivating and chopping machine which is supported on its own wheels so that its depth of operation can be accurate- 1y regulated and derives its power from its own wheels to provide a uniform thinning operation, which is fully adjustable to compensate for variation in the spacing of crop rows and to regulate the operating depth of the machine, which may be used for chopping or thinning alone, or for simultaneous thinning and cultivating or blocking, or for simultaneous thinning, cultivating and spraying, which can be operatively coupled to various types of tractors and may have different types of cultivators coupled to it, and which is simple and durable in construction, positive and efiicient in operation, and easy to adjust and opcrate.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan-view of an agricultural machine or implement illustrative of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the machine as illustrated in Figure 1 showing a structural detail;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side' elevational view of a fragmentary front portion of the machine and a fragmentary rear portion of a towing tractor;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line 1-7 of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectionalview on the line 88 of Figure 7.

With continued reference to the drawings, the machine comprises an axle l0 made in twoparts H and I2 of which the part II has a bifurcated end portion 13 and the part I 2 has on its corresponding end a tongue formation l4 received in the bifurcated portion or' formation l3" and secured therein by bolts l'i'which'extendthrough 2 registering apertures in the bifurcated portion l3 and tongue formation l4. Either the bifurcated formation or the tongue formation or both of these formations are provided with additional apertures in which the bolts H: are selectively receivable for varying the length of the axle to accommodate the machine to variations in the spacing between crop rows.

A wheel It is journaled on the outer end of the axle portion H and a corresponding wheel H is journaled on the outer end of the axle portion I2. These wheels it and I? support the machine on the ground and provide power for the operation of the chopping or thinning mechanism, each of such wheels having a tire portion of U-shaped cross-section and cleats extending transversely between the two sides of the tire portion at angular intervals therearound. Wheels of this character provide better trailing characteristics for the machine and better traction for driving the mechanical equipment.

A rigid, rectangular frame l8 is disposed above the axle l0, and comprises a rear cross member [9, preferably formed of a heavy piece of angle iron, a front cross member 20, also formed of angle iron, and side members 2i and 22', which may be formedof lighter material and reinforced by braces 23 and 24, respectively connected at their ends to the front and rear cross members and intermediate their lengths to the side members 2| and 22.

The frame is supported on the axle by two standards 25 and 26 which extend upwardly from the axle parts I I and I2, respectively, at locations spaced from the corresponding wheels I6 and I1. Two flat bars 21 and 28 extend longitudinally of the frame with the bar 21' disposed adjacent to and substantially parallel to the side member 2| and the bar 23'disposed adjacent and substantially parallel to the side member 22. The front and rear end members are provided with series of spaced apart apertures, and the bar 21 is adjustably secured at its rear end to the rear end member by bolts 29 which extend through apertures in the bar and selected apertures 30 in the rear frame member l9. This bar is connect'ed to the front end member Ellby bolts 3! extending through apertures in the bar and selected apertures 32 of a series of apertures in the front frame member. Bar 28 is adjustably secured to the rear frame member 19 by bolts 33 which extend through apertures in the rear end of the bar and through selected apertures 34 of a corresponding series of apertures in the rear frame memberand is'adjustably secured to the front frame member 20 by bolts 35 extending through apertures in the bar '25 and selected apertures 36 of a corresponding series in the front frame member.

The standard 25 is secured at its upper end to bar 2"? near the side of the front frame member 20 facing the rear member 19 and standard 25 is secured at its upper end to bar 28 near the rear side of front frame member 28.

Bars 21 and 28 extend forwardly of front frame member 28 and diagonal braces 31 and 38 extend respectively from standards 25 and 25 near axle ill to bars 2'1 and 28 near the front ends of these bars to rigidly support the frame I8 on the axle.

A tow bar 39 is dis-posed ahead of, and substantially parallel to, the front frame member 26 and is secured at its respectively opposite ends to the front ends of the bars 21 and 28. Where a tractor is used having a compression link disposed above its traction links, the compression link, as indicated at 40 in Figure 2, is secured at its rear end to the tow bar 39 by a clevis formation M provided on the tow bar substantially at the mid-length location thereof, and the tension links 42 are extended rearwardly and secured to r the axle parts H and i2 by the lugs 43 and 44.

Where the tractor is not provided with tension and compression links, a V-shaped yoke 45 is connected at its open end to the lugs 53 and 44 and at its closed end to the tractor drawbar 46, as illustrated in Figure 5.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, the legs ll and 48 of the yoke are pivotally connected at their forward ends to the respectively opposite ends of a hitch plate 49 which is received in the drawbar clevis and secured therein by the hitch pin 50 and a standard l having on its lower end a fork 52 pivotally connected to the plate 19 near the re spectively opposite ends of the plate, extends upwardly from the plate and through the tow bar 39 and between the sides of the clevis formation 4!. A stop collar 53 is secured on the standard 5i adjacent the fork 52 and a compression spring 54 surrounds the standard between this stopcollar and the under side of the tow bar 39. A second stop collar 55 is secured on the standard above the tow bar so that the tow bar will not accidentally slip off of the upper end of the standard.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the standard 5!, together with the standards 25 and 26, support the frame it in substantially horizontal position above the axle Hi.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 2, the tension and compression links of the tractor perform this function of supporting the frame in substantially horizontal position above the axle.

Two elongated bearing sleeves 56 and 5'6 are disposed below the frame at respectively opposite sides of the frame and both extend rearwardly from the axle in spaced apart relationship to each other.

The sleeve 56 is secured by a bracket 58 to the axle part I l adjacent the wheel l6 and the sleeve 51 is secured at its front end to the axle part l2 by a bracket 59 disposed adjacent the wheel H.

A hanger to extends through an aperture in the bar 21 near the rear frame member l9 and carries a stop collar 6| above the bar 21 so that the hanger depends from the bar. At its lower end the hanger is provided with an eye 52 which receives the sleeve 56 intermediate the length of the sleeve. A stop collar 63 is secured on the hanger or hanger rod 60 below the bar 21 and 4 a compression spring 64 surrounds the hanger between the collar 63 and the bar 21.

A similar hanger 65 depends from the bar 28 near the frame rear member 19 and is provided at its lower end with an eye which receives the sleeve 5? intermediate the length of this sleeve. By this means the sleeves 56 and 51 are adjustably supported from the frame since the collars on the hangers can be adjusted to raise and lower the rear ends of these sleeves and the bars 21 and 28 can be moved relative to the frame end members to vary the distance between the rear ends of the sleeves and also change the angular relationship between the sleeves and the longitudinal center line of the machine.

As illustrated in Figure l, the two sleeves are rearwardly convergent from the axle it and extend rearwardly of the rear frame member l9, the rear ends of these sleeves being disposed directly above two adjacent crop rows, as indicated at a and b.

A shaft 66 extends through and is journaled in the sleeve 56, and a corresponding shaft 61 extends through and is journaled in the sleeve 51. A bevel gear 68 is secured on the shaft 66 at the front end of the sleeve 56 and meshes with a bevel gear 69 provided on the inner side of the hub of the wheel it. A bevel gear 10 is secured on the shaft 51 at the front end of the sleeve 51 and meshes with a bevel gear H provided on the inner side of the hub of the wheel IT.

With arrangement, when the machine is propelled so that the ground-engaging wheels 16 and H are rotated, both of the shafts 66 and 61 will be rotated in the corresponding sleeves 56 and 51.

A hoe assembly i2 is secured on the shaft 66 at the rear end of the sleeve 56 and a corresponding hoe assembly 13 is secured on the shaft 61 at the rear end of the sleeve 51. As the two hoe assemblies are substantially identical, a detailed illustration and description of one only is considered sufficient for the purposes of the present disclosure and the assembly 12 has been selected for such detailed illustration and description.

Referring to Figure 4, the sleeve 56 is provided with a bearing bushing 14 in its rearward end and the shaft 66 is journaled at its rearward end in this bushing. Rearwardly of the sleeve 55, the shaft 66 is provided with a, reduced portion 15 having a screw-threaded end 16. A two-part hub 11 is provided with a central aperture receiving the reduced portion 15 of the shaft 66, and this hub is secured on the shaft by a nut 18 which is threaded on the screw-threaded portion 16 of the shaft and clamps the hub between itself and the annular shoulder 19 at the other end of the reduced portion '15. The shaft is drivingly connected to the hub by suitable means, such as the key 80, and spokes 8| are secured each at one end to hub 11 and project radially therefrom.

In the arrangement illustrated there are four spokes spaced at angular intervals of from each other, and a hoe or blade 82 is secured on the outer end of each spoke. Each blade 82 may conveniently comprise a rectangular plate transversely curved and having at least one sharpened edge, the length of such plate being correlated to the desired spacing between the plants to be left in the crop row.

The spacing between the plants left in the crop rows is controlled not only by the width of the blades, but also by the number of blades in each hoe assembly and by the speed ratio between the gears 69 and II and the gears 68 and 10, re-

predetermining the speed of the shafts relative to. the rotational speed of the spectively, 56 and 5 wheels.

The spokes 9 I are of a length such that, when the machine is operatively connected to a tractor and properly positioned for operation, the hoes 82 will dig into the ground a predetermined amount to chop out the roots, as well as the above-ground portions of the undesired plants. An elongated rod 83 is secured at its rear end to the sleeve rearwardly of the hanger and extends forwardly past the axle I9 generally parallel to the longitudinal center line of the machine. A similar rod 84 is connected at its rear end to the sleeve 57 rearwardly of the hanger and also extends forwardly past the axle I9 and generally parallel to. the longitudinal center line of the machine. It is to be understood that the parallel relationship of the rods 83 and 84 to the center line of the machine is only general, since these rods will be disposed at slight angles to the center line of the machine when the sleeves 56 and 51 are laterally adjusted to condition the machine to different row spacing.

A crossbar 35 is secured to the rod 89 near the front end of the rod and extends laterally to opposite sides of the rod, and a pair of spaced apart shoes or runners 86 are carried by this crossbar at the respectively opposite ends thereof and run on the ground to support the front end of the rod. A similar crossbar 87 is secured to the rod 84 near the front end of the latter and extends to opposite sides of the rod and a pair of shoes 58 are carried by the crossbar 81 at respectively opposite ends thereof and. bear on the ground to support the front end of the rod 84.

As the two crossbar and shoe or runner assemblies are substantially identical, a detailed illustration and description of one only is considered sufiicient for the purposes of the present disclosure and the assembly mounted on the rod 83 has been selected for uch detailed illustration and description.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the crossbar 85 comprises two parts 89 and 99 disposed at respectively opposite sides of the rod 83 and spaced therefrom, and a clip 9| secured on the rod and connected at its respectively opposite ends to the parts 89 and 90. The clip 9! comprises a saddle part overlying the rod and a U-bolt 92 underlying the rod and extending at its ends through suitable apertures in the saddle portion with nuts threaded onto the ends of the U-bolt and bearing on the saddle portion 93.

The saddle portion 93 is provided at each end with a sleeve or eye, as indicated at 94 in Figure 8, and a bolt 95 extends through each sleeve and through an aperture in the corresponding part 89 or 99 to secure the parts to the saddle portion.

A bracket 96 is adjustably mounted on the part 89 and a similar bracket 9'! is adjustably mounted on the part 99. A substantially vertically disposed stem 99 extends through the bracket 96, and a similar stem 99 extends through the bracket 91. The shoes or runners 36 are provided on the lower ends of the stems 98 and 99, and a compression spring I 99 surrounds the stem 98 between the corresponding shoe and the bracket 95, while a similar compression spring I GI surrounds the stem 99 between its corresponding shoe and the bracket 91. Stop collars I 92 and I 03 are adjustably secured on the stems 98 and 99, respectively, above the brackets 96 and 91 so that the stems cannot pass downwardly through the brackets. The front ends of the rods 83 and 84 ing crossbar and are thus resiliently supported by the springs I00 and IIJI on the ground-engaging shoes 8-5 and 88, and these rods assist in supporting the hoe assemblies I2 and I3 at a predetermined position relative to the surface of the ground.

A second crossbar I94 is mounted on the rod 83 rearwardly of the axle Ill, and a similar crossbar I is mounted on the rod 84 rearwardly of the axle. These crossbars extend to respectively opposite sides of the corresponding rods 83 and 8d and are connected together at their adjacent ends by a link I96. Two brackets I91 are secured on the crossbar I94 and disposed one at each side of the rod 93, while two similar brackets I98 are secured on the crossbar I95 and disposed one at each side of the rod 8 1. Cultivator shovels 599 are carried one by each of the brackets I67, and similar cultivator shovels H9 are carried, one by each of the brackets I98.

Referrin to Figure 3, it will be seen that each of the crossbars is of rectangular cross-sectional shape and that each of the cultivator shovel-supporting brackets comprises a hollow rectangular member I I I slidably mounted on the correspondsecured in operative position thereon by a set screw H2 and a part or portion H3 adjustably secured to the part III and provided with a socket II4 through which the stem II5 of the corresponding cultivator shovel extends. The part I it is angularly adjustable relative to the part I I I, so that the angular relationship of the stem I I 5 to the vertical can be varied, and the spacing between the shovels can be ad'- justed both by moving the brackets along the corresponding crossbars and by angularly converging or diverging the shovel stems.

Three split clamps IIB, II! and H8 are secured to the rear frame member I9 and project rearwardly therefrom. The clamps H6 and I I8 are located near the respectively opposite ends of the frame member I9, and the clamp II! is located substantially at the mid-length location of the frame member. These clamps are arranged to engage cultivator frames so that the cultivators can be towed behind the chopping and cultivating machines, if desired.

If desired, the beveled gears 69 and II can be removed and chain sprockets substituted therefor to operate a fertilizer or seeder attachment mounted on the frame I8.

As illustrated in Figure 2, nozzles mounted, one at each of the shoes 86 and 38, and connected to a tank supported either on the machine or on the towing tractor by suitable tubes I22 and hose connections I23 so that the crop can be sprayed with a suitable insecticide or other composition during the thinning and cultivating operation.

The invention may be embodied in other spe cific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. An agricultural implement comprising an axle, wheels journaled on said axle one at each end thereof, a frame supported on said axle and disposed above the latter, bearing sleeves extending in the same direction from said axle in spaced apart relationship to each other, means connect- IZI may be ing one end of one sleeve to said axle adjacent one of said wheels, means connecting one end of the other sleeve to said axle adjacent the other of said wheels, spring biasing means connecting each of said sleeves intermediate the length thereof to said frame for biasing said sleeves downward from said frame, shafts journaled one in each of said sleeves, a gear drive between each shaft and the adjacent wheel, hoe assemblies mounted one on each shaft at the ends of the corresponding sleeves remote from said axle. hitch means secured to said axle and extending therefrom in a direction opposite that in which said sleeves extend, rods disposed one along each of said sleeves and each connected at one end to the corresponding sleeve intermediate the length of the latter and extending past said axle, and ground engaging shoe means secured to each rod at a location spaced from said axle and assisting said axle and said spring biasing means in supporting said hoe assemblies at a predetermined position relative to the surface of the ground, said ground engaging shoe means including a resilient biasing connection with said rod for vertical movement toward and away from the assooiated rods.

2. A row crop thinning and cultivating machine comprising an axle, wheels journaled on said axle one at each end thereof, a frame disposed above said axle, means supporting said frame on said axle, bearing sleeves supported from said frame at the level of said axle and extending in substantially the same direction from said axle in spaced apart relationship to each other, spring biasing means connecting each of said sleeves intermediate the length thereof to said frame for biasing said sleeve downward from said frame, shafts journaled one in each of said sleeves, a gear on the axle-adjacent end of each shaft, a gear on each wheel meshing with the adjacent shaft-carried gear. a hoe assembly on the axleremote end of each shaft, rods rigidly secured each at one end one to each of said sleeves intermediate the length thereof and extending along the corresponding sleeve past said axle, and ground engaging shoe means secured to each rod at a location spaced from said axle and assisting said axle and said spring biasing means in supporting said hoe assembly at a predetermined position relative to the surface of the ground, said ground engaging shoe means including a resilient biasing connection with said rod for vertical movement toward and away from the associated rods.

FURMAN P. STALLCUP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

